Dental chair.



No. 644,641. Patented Mar. 6, I900. a. SIBLEY.

DENTAL cum.

(Applicmiau filed Jan. 22, 1898.)

7 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Inventor.

Witne'sss.

ttorney.

I Patented Mar. 6, I900. G. SIBLEY.

DENTAL CHAIR.

(Application filed Jan. 22, 1896.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

4 2 7 4 4 5 QZZr/ Inventor.

J 4, Attorney.

a. mm'mlmoq wnsumorou u c N0. 644,64I. Patented Mar. 6, I900. G. SIBLEY.

DENTAL CHAIR.

(Application filed Jan. 22, 1896.)

7 Sheets-8heet. 4,

(No Model.)

3' Inventor.

W it-nesses'.

7(ZZMLMJ Attorney.

"Trans co, mom-urna. WASHINGTON n o No. 644.64I. Patented Mar. 6, I900.G. $|BLEY.

DENTAL CHAIR. (Application filed Jan. 22, 1159a. (No Model.) 7Sheets-Sheet 5.

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Witnesses.

No. 644,64l.

Patented Mar. 6, I900. G. SIBLEY. DENTAL CHAIR (Application filed. Jan.22, 1895A) (No Medal.)

7 Sheatsy-Sheet 6.

l 26- Witnesses. 55- Inventor. M, a u

THE NORRIS Perms co. r'uowumq. wuumnmu, n. c. V

No. 644,641. Patented Mar. 6, I900.

a SlBLEY DENTAL CHAIR.

(Apphcahon filed Jam 22 1896 7 Sheets-Shoat 7.

(No Model.)

M60 55 42 I lllHl Inventor.

Wrcnesses Unwrap STATES PATENT Grates.

GIDEON SIBLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DIENTAL CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,641, dated March 6,1900.

Application filed January 22,1896. Serial No. 576 ,452. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GIDEON SIBLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDental Chairs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

Myimprovements, as generally stated, comprehend in a dental chair anextensible seatsupporting standard, novel means for vertioally adjustingthe same, and novel clamping and releasing mechanism for said standard,whereby advantages are gained, all of which will be hereinafterparticularly described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chair embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the base or pedestaland the cylinder rotat-ably supported thereon, showing the means forcontrolling the extensible seat supporting standard. Figs. 3 and 4 aretransverse sections as on the lines o. a and b b, respectively, of Fig.2. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section as on the line 0 o of Fig. 3. Fig. 6is a similar section as on the line (1 d of Fig. 4. Fig. 7is asectionsimilar to Fig. 6 extended. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the upper portionof the rotatable supportingcylinder with the clamping and releasingmechanism thereon. Fig. 9 is a detail inrear view of the lowerclamp-lever and adjuncts. Fig. 10 illustrates a modification of theclamping mechanism as applied to a single seat-lifting sect-ion.

The numeral 1 designates the usual cylindrical base or pedestal, and 2acylinder fitted to the interior thereof. The latter cylinder isprovided with a flange 3, that rests upon the upper edge of thepedestal, so as to be rotatable thereon. The upper portion of therotatable cylinder is extended above the pedestal and is'contracted orreduced, as at 4., for the reception of the outer section 5 of atelescopic cylinder, the inner section 6 whereof sustains a chair bodyor seat. The cylinder thus constitutes an extensible seat-supportingstandard.

On one side of the outer telescopic section 5 is a clamp-shoe 7, to bepresently explained,

which enters a longitudinal groove 8 in the inner section, to the endthat when the latter section is extended the shoulder at the lowerextremity of the groove will abut against the shoe, and thus effect theelevation of the outer section.

The lower end of the cylinder 2 is provided with a head 9, from thecenter of which rises atelescopic pipe, comprising in this instancethree sections 10, 11, and 12, whereof the largest section 10 is screwedor otherwise fixedly secured to the head, while the upper end of thesmallest section 12 is closed by a cap 13, which bears against the upperend of the inner section 6 of the telescopic cylinder, so that it thepipe-sections be extended or telescoped said cylinder-will becorrespondin gly operated in a manner to effect the maximum or theminimum range of vertical adj ustment of the chair-body to meet specialrequirements. Extending through the head 9 is a suitably-valved port14:, which communicates with the vertical cylinder 15' of an appropriatepump, whereby oil or other liquid contained in the pedestal may be drawninto the pump-cylinder. In the type of pump here in illustrated thepiston is connected by means of a rod 16 with a rock-arm 17, thefulcrum-stud of which is extended through a suitable bearing on thecylinder and is provided with an appropriate treadle-lever 18. Bydepressing this lever thedownward stroke is imparted to the piston, thereverse stroke being effected by means of a spring-actuated plunger 177,the upper end of which bears against the lower edge of the rock-arm.

In the center of the head 9, immediately below the telescopic pipe, is arecess or chamber 19, which communicates with the port 14 at a pointabove the inlet-valve, by means of a duct 20, whereby in the downwardstroke of the pump-piston the liquid will be forced by way of the ductinto the telescopic pipe in a manner to extend the latter and efiect theelevation of the chair-body, as below explained. A check-valve 21,located in the duct, prevents the return to the pump-cylinder of theliquid from the telescopic pipe dur ing the reverse stroke of thepiston.

To the lower end of the second pipe-section 11 is affixed a dependinghead 22, provided with an appropriate gasket 23, that is fitted to thefirst or fixed pipe-section, and to the lower end of the third section12 is secured an appropriate gasket 24, that is fitted to the secondsection. The lower end of the head 22, when the sections are collapsedto their lowermost position, enters the recess or chamber19, the oil inthe latter thus serving to cushion the parts in their descent. The headloosely fits the recess or chamber 19, so that the oil in the latterwill slowly ooze around and above the head as the head enters suchrecess or chamber. This head is provided with a central port 25, thatleads to the top of the head and communicates, by means of radial ducts26, with the recess or chamber. Extending from the ducts to the lowerend of the head are vertical ports 26, the lower ends of which arenormally sealed by means of a flap-valve 27. In the downward stroke ofthe pump-piston theliquid is forced through the ducts 26 into the port25, thence into the sections 11 and 12 in a manner to act against theclosed upper end of the section 12 and against the opposing end of thegasket 24 thereon, thus elevating said latter section and thecylindrical sections engaged thereby. The section 12 will thus beseparately raised until the gasket-ring at the lower end thereofimpinges against the head at the upper end of the section 11, whereupon,if the operation be continued, the latter section will be elevated. Theinitial elevation of the section 11 will obviously occur in virtue ofthe action of the oil not only upon the end of the gasket 24 but uponthe closed upper end of the section 12, the area of the surfaces thusacted upon being greater than that of the upper surface of the head atthe lower end of the section 11. Vhen the bottom of the head 22 in itsascent passes the duct 20, the liquid acts directly against the lowerend of such end, courses around the same to the ducts 26 and the port ina manner to enter the several pipe-sections and insure their extension.In consequence the cylindrical sections and, perforce, the chair-bodyare correspondingly extended It will be seen that during the initialupward movement of the section 11 the valve 27 on the depending headwill be opened by the attendant suction, thus affording a vent throughthe ports 26, which obviates the liability of a vacuum with itsdisadvantages being formed below the head during such initial movement.Rising centrally from the head into the pipe-sections is a rod 28, whichtends to reduce the internal area of the first pipe-section, and thuseffect a more uniform distribution of the oil throughout the severalsections. Moreover, the enlarged upper end 29 of this rod as it entersthe cap on the section 12 upon the descent of the chair acts upon theopposing liquid with a cushion-like result.

Leading from the duct 20 in the head 9 to the under side of the latteris a duct 30, a release-valve 31 being interposed between said ducts.Preparatory to lowering the chair this valve is opened, so as topermitthe escape of the oil from the pipe-sections, the descent of thechair-body being arrested at any predetermined point by the closing ofthe Valve. The valve-stem is supported in a standard 32 and ismaintained normally depressed-i. e., closed-by the action of asuitably-arranged spring 33. The upper end of this stem extends throughthe slotted inner arm 34 of a lever that is fulcrumed in a suitablebearing on the side of the rotatable cylinder 2, the other arm 35 of thelever extending outwardly and constituting a treadle. On the end of thevalve-stem is a head or stop 36, against which the inner arm of thelever acts when the outer arm thereof is depressed, thereby raising thevalve-stem against the compression of the spring for the purpose stated.The lever-arm 34 also operates to effect the release of certain brakingor clamping mechanism, which I shall now proceed to describe, referencebeing had to Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 of the drawings, as follows:

Extending rearwardly from the upper or reduced portion of the cylinder 2are two parallel webs or walls 37, in which is mounted a rock-shaft 38,carrying a lever a of peculiar construction-that is to say,39 is anupwardlyextending bifurcated arm, the hub of which is loosely mounted onthe rock-shaft, and 41 is a laterally-extending arm adjustably connectedwith the hub, so that the arms maybe nicely adjusted in respect to eachother. In the present instance the arm 41 is provided with ears 42, thatare loosely mounted on the rock-shaft, a spring 43 being interposedbetween such arm and a forwardly-extending lug on the hub, and a screw44 being fitted to a depending lug on the hub in a manner to bearagainst the opposing side of the arm, so that by manipulating the screwthe relative adjustments of the lever-arms may be effected.

Fitted to longitudinal slots in the two members of the arm 39 are blocks45, carrying a shaft 46, on which are freely mounted side by side threerollers 47 48, the central one of which is slightly larger than theothers. Resting upon the central roller 47 is the inclined end of an arm49, the other end thereof being perforated to receive averticallymovable rod 50, so that when the lever is properly actuatedthe roller bears against the opposing end of the arm, tilts it in amanner to take against and clamp the rod, and thus effect slight upwardmovement of the latter. The arm is held normally depressed by the actionthereon of a spring 51 in an adjacent bracket 52.

The rollers 48 bear upon the inclined surface of a cam-lever 53, that isfulcrumed to a bracket 54 on the wall of the rotatable cylinder in suchmanner that upon the operation of the lever-arm 39 the cam-lever isactuated. Pivoted to the upper end of the rod is one arm of a cam-lever55, that is fulcrumed between projecting lugs on the outer telescopicsection 5, near the top thereof. The inner or cam-shaped arm of thislever acts upon the beveled edge of the shoe 7, above referred to, insuch wise that when the rod is raised through the action of the arm 49the camlever forces the shoe firmly against the inner section 6 and whenthe rod is freed from the binding action of said arm the cam-leverreleases the shoe and permits the vertical adjustment of the innersection to be had.

Fitted to a longitudinalgroove 56 in the outer telescopic section 5 is ashoe 57, the ends of which are oppositely inclined, as shown. The upperinclined end is in contact with a correspondingly-inclined surface 'onthe bracket 54, while the lower end engages the inclined part of. thecam-lever 53, above mentioned. Hence when this lever is actuated by therollers 48 its inner arm raises the shoe 57 forcibly against the opposedincline on the bracket, whereupon the shoe is clamped tightly againstthe section to hold it in position.

On one end of the shaft 38 is loosely mounted a lever 17, one arm, 58,of which extends forwardly under the lever-arm 41 and is connectedtherewith by means of a stout spring 59, whereby, under certainconditions, the levers may be moved as a unit. The other arm, 60, of thelever depends in the path of a toe on the rock-arm 17, above described,to the end that when the pump-piston is raised the toe bears against thearm and effects the movement of the levers in the direction indicated bythe arrow, Fig. 2, whereupon the shoes are simultaneously clampedagainst the respective sections 5 and 6. Upon the downstroke of thepiston to effect the elevation of the chair-body the rock-arm 17 isdisengaged from the'lever-arm 60, whereupon the cam members and theircoactingparts resume their normal position, so as to free the sectionsfrom the clamping-pressure and permit their extension by thefluid-pressure. Hence in each reciprocation of the piston the sectionsare successively'clamped and released. It will be obvious that eventhough the rockarm 17 be disengaged'from the lever-arm 60 the shoes willbear yielding] y against the respective sections,but not with sufficientforce, of course, to interfere with the action of the fluid-pressure.

Pivoted'to the under side of the lever-arm 4l is a rod 61, which dependsthrough the bi-' furcated lever-arm 34, being provided with asuitably-located collar against which the lever-arm acts when the outeror treadle arm of the lever is depressed to open the releasevalvehereinbefore described, the rod 61 and, perforce, the lever-arm 41 thusbeing raised against the action of the spring 59, in which case thecylinder sections are unclamped, even though'the pump-piston be in theraised position.

If other means than the pump and liquid were used for elevating thechair, the abovedescribed operation of the clamp devices would be thesame, the elevating mechanism,

of course, being constructed to act upon the lever 17 similarly to andfor a like purpose as the rock-arm of the piston-rod. It will thereforebe understood that such devices are not restricted in their use to achair wherein a pump is employed.

It will be apparent from the foregoing-described construction that thepump and other parts and mechanisms of the chair are bodily rotatableupon the pedestal.

In Fig. 10 is shown a construction wherein a clamp for a singleseat-supporting cylinder is employed, 1 designating the pedestal, 6 thecylinder mounted therein, and 57 the beveled clamp-shoe fitted to alongitudinal groove in the cylinder. The upper beveled portion of theshoe acts against the correspondinglybeveled portion of the pedestal,while the lower portion of the shoe is engaged by the inner beveled armof the cam-lever 53, similarly to and fora like purpose as thefirst-described construction. The levers a and b are loosely mounted onthe rock-shaft 38 and are connected by a spring 59, the vertical arm 39of the lever a being provided with a lug 00, which overhangs the outerarm of the camlever 53. A set-screw in this lug bears uponthe cam-lever,so that whenthe lever a is properly operated, either independently of orin conjunction with the lever b, the cam-lever is actuated to effect theclamping of the shoe against the cylinder. The independent and conjointactions of the levers are or may be attained precisely as the same areeffected in the duplex clamp arrangement above described.

I make no claim herein to a dental chair comprising, in combination, abase, a chairseat, a piston-cylinder-fixed in the base, a piston orplunger, a movable cylinder extension, packing to prevent oil from beingforced between the cylinder and movable cylinder extension, and meanswhereby the extension may be moved by the piston, said packing beingsecured to the foot of the cylinder extension and provided with anopening to permit the passage of oil to the piston and perforationsadjacent the lower end of said packing for the oil to entersaid passagewhen the said extension is in its lowermost situation.

I claim 1. In a chair,the combination with the chairbody, of a base orstandard provided with a central recess or chamber and a series oftelescopic pipe-sections whereof one section is affixed to said base orstandard, provisions whereby a movable section of the series isconnected with the chair-body, adepending head on the lower end of amovable section of the series adapted to enter said recess or chamberand provided with a port leading to the interior of the latter section,and a pump having operative communication with the fixed section andwith said port, together with a rod rising into said fixed section,substantially as described.

2. In a chair, the combination, with an extensible seat-supportingstandard, of abase or head provided with a central recess or chamber,aseries of telescopic pipe-sections whereof one section is afiixed tosaid base or head, provisions whereby a movable section of the series isengaged with the standard, a depending head on the lower end of amovable section of the series, adapted to enter said recess or chamberand provided with a port leading to the interior of the latter section,and a pump having operative communication with the fixed pipe and withsaid port together with a rod rising into said fixed pipe, substantiallyas described.

3. In a chair, the combination, with an extensible seat-su pportin gstandard, of a base or head provided with a recess or chamber, a seriesof telescopic pi pe-sections whereof one section is affixed to said baseor head, provisions whereby a movable section of the series is engagedwith the standard, a depending head on the lower end of a movablesection of the series, adapted to enter said recess or chamber andprovided with a port leading to the interior of the latter section andwith a port or ports leading to the bottom of the -head, a valve forsaid latter port or ports, and

a pump having operative communication with the fixed pipe and withsaid-ports, substantially as described.

4. In a chair, the combination with a support, of a series of telescopicseat-supporting sections fitted thereto, a series of telescopicliftingsections confined within said firstnamed sections, means forextending or contracting said lifting-sections, clamp devices for eachof said seat-supporting sections, and a common means for operating saidclamp devices, substantially as described.

5. In a chair, the combination, with an extensible standard to supportthe seat, of a normally-active clamp therefor, means for raising andlowering said standard, operative connections between said means and theclamp whereby during the operation of ,said means the clamp isintermittently actuated, and means for releasing said clampindependently of the raising and lowering means, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a chair, the combination, with an eX- tensible standard, of aclamp therefor, a lever having operative connection with said clamp, anadjacent lever, means yieldingly connecting said levers, means forraising and lowering said standard, operative connections between saidmeans and one of said levers, and independent operating means for theother lever, substantially as described.

7. In a chair, the combination with an extensible standard and means forraising and lowering the same, of a clamp for said standard, a shaft,a'lever thereon operatively connected with said clamp, a second leveronthe shaft, a spring connecting said levers, and independent operatingmechanisms for the respective levers, substantially as described.

8. In a chair, the combination, with an extensible standard and meansfor raising and lowering the same, of a clamp for said standard, ashaft, a lever thereon, an arm adjacent to said lever, means foradjusting said arm and lever in relation to each other, a second leveron the shaft, a spring connecting said levers, and independent operatingmechanisms for the respective levers,substantially as described.

9. In a chair, the combination, with an extensible standard, of anormally-active shoe to clamp the same, a cam-lever acting upon saidshoe, a rock-lever having operative connection with said cam-lever, andmeans for actuating said rock-lever, together with means for raising andlowering said standard, and operative connections between said means ahdthe rock-lever, whereby during the operation of said means the shoeisintermittently actuated, substantially as described.

10. In a chair, the combination, with a support,telescopicseat-supportingsections,shoes to clamp said sections, upper and lowercams to actuate said shoes, a vertically-movable rod depending from theupper cam, a binding-arm on said rod, a lever provided with rollersadapted to act upon said arm and upon the cam-lever, and means foroperating said lever at predetermined intervals, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a chair, the combination with a support of an extensibleseat-supporting standard, a telescopic raising and lowering pipetherefor, a rod rising into the lower portion of said pipe, and a pumphaving operative communication with said pipe, substantially asdescribed.

12. In a chair, the combination, with a base or pedestal, and achair-body, of a telescopic raising and lowering pipe or cylinder, onesection of which is aflixed to said base or pedestal, and anothersection of which is connected with said chair-body, a rod rising intothe said fixed section, and a pump having operative communication withsaid pipe or cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GIDEON SIBLEY.

\Vitnesses:

J OHN R. NOLAN, ANDREW V. GROUPE.

